Raji: An Ancient Epic

 Switch
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 72
  3. Negative: 11 out of 72

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  1. ShadowRacer
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    My brief opinion about the game:

    I played for about two hours and I can note the following advantages: Quite pleasant gameplay, the combat system is quite smooth and beautiful, the elements of acrobatics make game look like the Prince of Persia. Indian culture is everywhere - landscapes, art, music and game cinematics are quite unusual. Minuses: The camera is far from the    My brief opinion about the game:

    I played for about two hours and I can note the following advantages:

    Quite pleasant gameplay, the combat system is quite smooth and beautiful, the elements of acrobatics make game look like the Prince of Persia.
    Indian culture is everywhere - landscapes, art, music and game cinematics are quite unusual.

    Minuses:
    The camera is far from the character, the angles sometimes can be surprising.

    I expected less from this game, so I'm quite happy with the purchase.    … Expand
  2. glauciobg
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Como um jogo indie, precisa ser entendido como "game-as-art" e valorizado pelos seus esforços em criar referências em gaming sobre contar uma história protagonizada por uma jovem indiana em que a cultura indiana e a mitologia hinduista são bem apresentadas. Como um jogo que se preocupa em retratar uma cultura e, enquanto uma forma de arte, é algo necessário nesse mercado hoje.
    Emana bom    Como um jogo indie, precisa ser entendido como "game-as-art" e valorizado pelos seus esforços em criar referências em gaming sobre contar uma história protagonizada por uma jovem indiana em que a cultura indiana e a mitologia hinduista são bem apresentadas. Como um jogo que se preocupa em retratar uma cultura e, enquanto uma forma de arte, é algo necessário nesse mercado hoje.
    Emana bom gosto, atenção a detalhes artísticos, com trilha sonora fantástica e personagens cativantes. Uma boa história muito bem narrada e apresentada, com otima ambientação (atmosfera) e plasticamente excelente.
    Enquanto "game", há pontos a se aperfeiçoar. A proposta de jogabilidade é ótima, com um sistema de combate bem contextualizado, bem justificado, e que é bastante interessante. Explora bem a proposta de uma protagonista acrobática e veloz, em grandes cenários, que abusa de esquivas e conta com apoio dos deuses e deusas que olham por ela.
    Em um momento em que temos varios jogos em 2D sendo lançados e que são valorizados e tantos outros chamados de "retrô" e que são reconhecidos em qualidade, embora repitam formulas de décadas passadas, com algumas inovações pontuais, Raji segue esse caminho com o mesmo espírito: repete uma formula do passado, mas faz isso com uma perspectiva nova e interessante, em 3D. Peca na precisão dos controles e na frequência de quadros. Peca também no design de alguns "bosses". Pode ser aprimorado ao longo do desenvolvimento do título nos próximos meses. O mesmo vale para o fato do jogo apresentar bugs e glitches diversos ainda. Mostra que foi lançado um pouco antes do ideal.
    Mas são todos pontos que sao facilmente identificados como falhas pre-lançamento e que podem ser corrigidos.
    É um jogo, de fato. E um tanto desafiador em muitos momentos, tanto nas plataformas, como, principalmente, em combate.
    A essencia do jogo em si, no entanto, reforço: enquanto um jogo indie, com maior atenção ao seu aspecto artístico, é excelente e vale o preço e o investimento de tempo - ainda mais no Switch em modo handheld, pronto para ser jogado na cama antes de dormir, ou em momentos de descontração.    … Expand
  3. Swastik93
    Aug 19, 2020
    9
    I might be a bit biased here, considering I am an Indian myself, but it pleases me to no end to see a group of less than 10 people putting all their heart and soul into creating something which is so fun and refreshing.
    From the Kick-starter two years ago to featuring as one of the big games in a Nintendo indie showcase, the game has had quite a journey.
    Good: The game brings to    I might be a bit biased here, considering I am an Indian myself, but it pleases me to no end to see a group of less than 10 people putting all their heart and soul into creating something which is so fun and refreshing.
    From the Kick-starter two years ago to featuring as one of the big games in a Nintendo indie showcase, the game has had quite a journey.

    Good:
    The game brings to forefront the majestic tapestry of art, aesthetic, culture, music and tradition of ancient North West India. It heavily from games like prince of Persia and old school god of war but has enough unique presentation to it that it never feels derivative as such. Also, those old school games are pretty nostalgic, so playing a new game in that old style, with modern graphics and a deep culture behind it is refreshing in and of itself.
    The story though light is told with a lot of heart,the music is literally awesome and the art style is truly breathtaking in some instances.

    The not as good:
    The controls are good, though not the most refined due to its 3d inspirations(you get used to them), the character model is a bit small for the screen to keep focus on, the performance also slightly lags sometimes. Most of the gripes however seem to be easy addressable in future updates/ patch fixes.

    The game is no where close to being as excellent as a hollow knight or a Celeste, but it's a ton of fun for sure and that's what video games are all about.

    I do want to congratulate the team and hopefully they stick to this amazing concept that they have envisioned by making a series of Raji, a brave Indian girl created by this brave Indian team out to make their mark on the world.    … Expand
  4. swanben
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Saw this in the indie showcase and picked it up immediately. It is a beautiful game, that is interesting and fun. It feels unique in all the right ways, but familiar in all the right ways too. Very much enjoyed playing what felt like someone's project that was very precious to them. Fighting is repetitive, but so what it's fun. I only wish it was longer, that said, I enjoyed the time I hadSaw this in the indie showcase and picked it up immediately. It is a beautiful game, that is interesting and fun. It feels unique in all the right ways, but familiar in all the right ways too. Very much enjoyed playing what felt like someone's project that was very precious to them. Fighting is repetitive, but so what it's fun. I only wish it was longer, that said, I enjoyed the time I had playing it.… Expand
  5. 1nSky
    Sep 1, 2020
    10
    Love aesthetics and visual. Has minor bugs, but I think devs will fix it soon.
    Love to see more content in future.
  6. Gamer_Freeza
    Sep 27, 2020
    10
    Best Game i haven't played it but the graphics and controls look amazing.The game depicts hindu mythology in an amazing light. Shut up and buy it.
  7. Laxyking
    Oct 12, 2020
    10
    One of the most beautiful games I have played till now, I loved the game play. And for 25€ worth it. The Indian background music is amazing too
  8. Bibek7
    Oct 16, 2020
    9
    It's a awesome game I like it the only thing , I didn't like were some bugs in the game
  9. OrrinHeroes3
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    It's perfect! I was following the game from the very beginning. The story and art are marvelous! I was soo surprised that it was exclusively opened on Nintendo (I bought it in 2 months in advance). I get a great experience and recommend all fans to pass it through.
    That's a good adventure to understand what is India itself. Now I am going to visit this country and see all such    It's perfect! I was following the game from the very beginning. The story and art are marvelous! I was soo surprised that it was exclusively opened on Nintendo (I bought it in 2 months in advance). I get a great experience and recommend all fans to pass it through.
    That's a good adventure to understand what is India itself. Now I am going to visit this country and see all such architecture on my own.    … Expand
  10. ur_mist
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    The game as a cultural property or art. Here you will find excellent bright combat, dynamic puzzles, and everything else that is in other games. But what is really valuable is the absolutely delightful environment, admirable murals on the walls, immersion, and amazing Indian mythology.
  11. BlackBoxRu
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    The game looks pretty and the gameplay is peppy. The level design, acrobatics, and combat system and the enemies are quite diverse. Indian folklore and art style adds to the uniqueness of this game.
  12. GuiCateb
    Aug 22, 2020
    9
    Raji é uma aventura incrível.

    Nota-se o carinho da equipe em representar a cultura indiana e fazem isso muito bem. Conta com belas CG's e as mecânicas de combate são bem boas.

    Um pó tô negativo as vezes durante o combate é a câmera, que poderia ser mais inteligente e focar melhor alguns inimigos.

    Extremamente recomendado por mim.
  13. DelvooD
    Sep 2, 2020
    9
    A rare setting and atmosphere that works. Finally, a world different from generics. In this game, you can explore the mythology of India.
  14. Shea32
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    Most innovative and intriguing game of the year. The game mechanics are hard to master but fun while learning. The setting in ancient India creates a historical fiction, or maybe a mythological fiction. Gods, heroes and legends of Hindu are everywhere. By the end you feel familiar with this rich pantheon so different from the familiar greek.

    My only qualm is that the game is "on rails" so    Most innovative and intriguing game of the year. The game mechanics are hard to master but fun while learning. The setting in ancient India creates a historical fiction, or maybe a mythological fiction. Gods, heroes and legends of Hindu are everywhere. By the end you feel familiar with this rich pantheon so different from the familiar greek.

    My only qualm is that the game is "on rails" so you're not free to explore and use some of the cooler features over and over.    … Expand
  15. biblik
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    Surprisingly easy to get stuck into this beautiful game. I really liked the story, the duration, and the final. If you want to have a good couple of evenings, then Raji is your choice
  16. Danieleitor777
    Jul 30, 2021
    9
    El arte visual de este juego,es quizás el mejor que haya visto nunca,el gameplay coge mucho de otros juegos ,pero lo hace perfecto,la verdad una muy grata sorpresa
  17. PewPewMcP
    Oct 5, 2021
    8
    Raji is a beautiful game worth checking out for its vistas, its visuals and its storytelling. It competently executes on its Prince of Persia-inspired contextual parkour and a decent enough superpowered combat to deliver a tale steeped in Hindu mythology and Indian aesthetics. A very pretty game that's also decent fun to play. It's let down by its brevity but worth checking out nonethelessRaji is a beautiful game worth checking out for its vistas, its visuals and its storytelling. It competently executes on its Prince of Persia-inspired contextual parkour and a decent enough superpowered combat to deliver a tale steeped in Hindu mythology and Indian aesthetics. A very pretty game that's also decent fun to play. It's let down by its brevity but worth checking out nonetheless simply due to the overall videogaming quality it packs into these short hours.… Expand
  18. rookfire
    Aug 19, 2021
    8
    A really beautiful game. I liked the combat (a little similar to Hades, with different weapons and different 'boons') and exploring the game a lot (puzzles) - the art is really really beautiful, and so were the cut scenes and music. I loved learning about the gods and goddesses. Some reviewers said the camera angle was an issue, but I didn't feel that way, because the camera would usuallyA really beautiful game. I liked the combat (a little similar to Hades, with different weapons and different 'boons') and exploring the game a lot (puzzles) - the art is really really beautiful, and so were the cut scenes and music. I loved learning about the gods and goddesses. Some reviewers said the camera angle was an issue, but I didn't feel that way, because the camera would usually be angled to give a wide shot of the background and architecture. I was more surprised by how short this game was. I thought it would run much longer, with much more to explore. Also, really stellar voice acting (except Raji's lol). Overall, I really enjoyed this game. It's a short and really beautiful action game.… Expand
  19. FearlessRomeo
    Sep 4, 2020
    10
    Finally. I new mythology with different gameplay. I loved the demo. Am gonna get it as soon it releases!
  20. kp4567
    Oct 29, 2020
    10
    Set in a beautiful environment, the game is like nothing i have seen before. Amazing sound track, cant wait for the OST. Story and character development could have been better. Also would have loved it in hindi audio.
  21. CoomerEnergy
    Dec 21, 2020
    8
    Short and sweet, fun for an adventure game (which I usually don't play) and I would recommend it if you have the money.

    Pros: Absolutely loved the storyline, it was simple and straight to the point but also felt mythic at the same time. It did not need novel quality writing, it was a story about a sister trying to be reunited with her brother and fate throwing a wrench in that    Short and sweet, fun for an adventure game (which I usually don't play) and I would recommend it if you have the money.

    Pros:

    Absolutely loved the storyline, it was simple and straight to the point but also felt mythic at the same time. It did not need novel quality writing, it was a story about a sister trying to be reunited with her brother and fate throwing a wrench in that throughout the whole series. It's an adventure game not an RPG after all.

    The synopses of Hindu myths were actually really fascinating and I never found myself so inspired by any game. They chose really fun stories that got me interesting in reading up on more Vedic mythology as a whole, just out of curiosity and piqued interest.

    The gameplay was easy to master and I felt engaged for the most part. It paced itself well and progressively got harder throughout 90% of the game. The final boss was a little easy but otherwise it felt like appropriate pacing. I enjoyed the mixture of staying on the run and fighting, it reminded me of the old run and gun games I played as a kid but also like a classic hack n slash at the same time.

    I enjoyed the banter between Durga and Vishnu. With Vishnu basically being dismissive of Raji until she does something to benefit him and then he was on her side.

    The aesthetic of it, especially the cutscenes when it went into like paper doll mode was phenomenal. The scenery itself was beautiful and I found myself inadvertently exploring everything I could. I rarely go for the achievements but I got 80% of them all done just by being curious about the world around me. I wanted to find all of the orbs and I think I only missed 1 somewhere. Most of them were very easy to find. I only got lost at 1 part but that was only briefly, which is saying something since I have a terrible sense of direction. The music was pleasing and I just wanted more of it in my life.

    The boss fights (on in the case of Naga not really a boss fight but a boss encounter) were fun and had enjoyable mechanics. I especially loved the Rangda fight. The encounter was challenging at first but when you figured out her move set it felt easy enough to make you feel like you accomplished something.

    Unlike the other users, I did not experience even an ounce of lag or any framerate issues. Optimization was fine and I have an old piece of crap computer.

    Cons:
    The graphics are not very great, but it feels stylized enough to overlook its short comings. Gave me old school vibes of playing on the X-box when I was a kid.

    Weird camera angles at times made some of the platforming a little harder than it needed to be. That might have been the purpose, but there were a few (but not a lot) instances where it was a problem.

    Controls and combat are not intuitive but easy to get the hang of. Just not the best design for the PC and maybe it would have worked better with a controller.

    A couple of bugs, one is when one of the flying demons did not spawn. Easy fix, I just had to exit and relaunch the game and it fixed itself. Another is on the jungle level where you're clinging to trees and vines, in which there are a few parts you can pass through the world and die. It's not much of an inconvenience though since you come back exactly where you were before you made the jumps anyways.

    The story is a bit short, and it felt like everything went above and beyond until the last area where you're in the desert. It felt like the devs just ran out of ideas and started throwing tough mobs at you. Wouldn't have been a problem though if was longer. The ending itself was a little rushed feeling and that's probably my biggest complaint of the game since I enjoyed its storyline and aesthetic. I wish there was just more to the final story itself. I also just wish the game was a little longer in general with more weapons and levels.
    _____________
    All-in-all I'd give it an 8.5/10 if I could so I will settle with an 8, since I can't justify the 9 due to the few minor issues I had. Overall it was a fun experience and I felt like it was worth the money. It's rare that I walk away from a game feeling inspired about a whole foreign culture and wanting to read more about it in the way Raji did for me.    … Expand
  22. JAG7
    Jun 3, 2023
    8
    Great game. Beautiful visuals. Music is great. Platform and combat are ok. The story is great. This is a work of love. The ending was disappointing and felt rushed. Otherwise great game.
  23. Elite_Institute
    Mar 5, 2022
    9
    "I have to admit that overall it was a fantastic experience for the most part – it’s a real shame that it was over in only five hours. The final level in particular comes and goes quickly, with very little more than the final boss fight, making it seem like they ran into budget or time restraints. It is a wonderful journey through Hindu mythology, and I hope the team can bless us with a"I have to admit that overall it was a fantastic experience for the most part – it’s a real shame that it was over in only five hours. The final level in particular comes and goes quickly, with very little more than the final boss fight, making it seem like they ran into budget or time restraints. It is a wonderful journey through Hindu mythology, and I hope the team can bless us with a follow up in the near future."

    https://theeliteinstitute.net/2021/03/12/raji-an-ancient-epic/    … Expand
  24. mohammadrafigh
    Feb 27, 2022
    8
    I liked the game a lot. But there were some annoying things that made me angry while playing. In some places if you miss an orb there is no way to return an catch it and there is no solution for that other than restarting the game from the beginning. Also in some cases the camera rotation was confusing when jumping over rocks etc. But generally I liked the design, the story line, songs andI liked the game a lot. But there were some annoying things that made me angry while playing. In some places if you miss an orb there is no way to return an catch it and there is no solution for that other than restarting the game from the beginning. Also in some cases the camera rotation was confusing when jumping over rocks etc. But generally I liked the design, the story line, songs and Raji reactions in emotional states.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
  1. Cultured Vultures
    Oct 8, 2020
    70
    While certainly rough around the edges, Raji: An Ancient Epic is an earnest swing that shows a ton of heart and some great ideas.
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  2. Switch Player
    Oct 5, 2020
    80
    Raji: An Ancient Epic is a beautiful adventure unlike anything we’ve likely seen in video games, let alone the Switch. The gameplay itself is of a strong if unspectacular standard, but it’s the design and the experience which you’re paying for here.
    Read full review
  3. Nintendo Insider
    Oct 5, 2020
    70
    Raji: An Ancient Epic stands apart from its competition thanks to the game’s mythological exploration, but the unpolished state that it has arrived in detracts from its clear successes. Even if it doesn’t wholeheartedly deliver on its potential, there’s still much to admire from the adventure looking back from its conclusion.
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